INTRO

Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It borders Liberia and Guinea in the West, Mali and Burkina Faso in the North, Ghana in the East, and the Atlantic Ocean in the South. Ivory Coast, French-speaking West Africa's largest economy and the world's top cocoa grower, is facing a growing wave of public sector strikes that threaten to paralyze the country and undermine what has been described as an impressive post-war economic recovery. President Alassane Ouattara is the current president following a civil war that eventually ousted president Laurent Gbagbo who is now facing of crimes against humanity charges atthe International Criminal Courtat the Hague. The conflict killed an estimated 3,000 people.

GUESTDr. Gnaka LaGoke joins us by phone to discuss the latest and ongoing development in the country. Dr. Gnaka LaGoke is a specialist in African political affairs, issues of African development, Pan-Africanism and Ubuntu Philosophy. He is a professor of African history and world history in the Department of History and Political Science at Montgomery College (Maryland), and the founder of “The Revival of Panafricanism Forum” (www.revivalofpanafricanism.org), a public forum which engages a permanent conversation on Africa and issues of the world African union from a pan-african perspective. Dr. LaGoke publishes at www.revivalofpanafricanism.org and www.gnakalagoke.com.